Palworld lawyers state existence of Titanfall 2, Ark, and even The Legend of Zelda invalidates Nintendo's patents Pocketpair defends against accusations it violated Nintendo's copyright patents. Image credit: Pocketpair News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 20, 2025 Pocketpair has responded to Nintendo's legal action by asserting the patents The Pokémon Company believes Pocketpair has contravened are invalid due to other games that came before it, including Ark: Survival Evolved, Tomb Raider, and even Nintendo's own Legend of Zelda series. As reported by Games Fray (thanks, VGC), Palworld developer Pocketpair challenged Nintendo's patent applications which were reportedly filed between February and July 2024, several weeks and months after the monster-collecting game debuted in January of that same year. Pocketpair maintains through prior preparatory briefs that Nintendo's patents-in-suit shouldn't have been granted given games using the systems and art protected by the patents were already in existence. PALWORLD Early Access Review: Is It Worth It?Watch on YouTube Specifically, the developer said the patents contravene art already in place in Ark: Survival Evolved, Pocket Souls, and its own Craftopia, as well as a whole list of other notable references, including Final Fantasy 14, Tomb Raider, Far Cry 5, Titanfall 2, Octopath Traveler, Pikmin 3, Monster Hunter Ultimate, and a range of prior Pokémon games. Pocketpair states that games like Rune Factory 5, Titanfall 2, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe "make it easy to see how a player character can perform an action to release a monster or a capture item (like a ball) and fire in a direction by releasing a button", whilst Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Far Cry 5 and Tomb Raider "already showed that there can be different types of throwable objects". Furthermore, Pocket Souls, Octopath Traveler, Monster Super League and Final Fantasy 14 "made it easy to imagine that one could pick targets on the field and then show an indication of how likely the capture operation is to succeed", and "generally speaking, it has been an element of the Pokémon series for more than 30 years that different capture items have different success rates". If, like Pocketpair believes, all these games already invalidate Nintendo's patents, "it doesn't matter whether Palworld does what such a patent describes: you can infringe an invalid patent all you want". "There is no question that Pocketpair and its lawyers have made a huge effort to develop many invalidity and non-infringement arguments," the briefing by Games Fray - prepared by a patent-specialist Japanese lawyer - states. "Again, a single such argument for a given patent is enough to be cleared with respect to that patent. But Nintendo is suing over three patents, and Pocketpair won’t want to lose over any single one of them." As Eurogamer sumarised recently, comparisons were made between Pocketpair's own monster-catching title and Pokémon ever since Palworld was first revealed. Dubbed "Pokémon with guns" ahead of its early access release last year, The Pokémon Company's former chief legal officer Don McGowan said he was "surprised" the game had "got this far" before Nintendo finally announced it was suing Pocketpair for infringement of "multiple" patents in September. It was later confirmed the lawsuit was targeting three patents in particular. As part of an update in December, Pocketpair subsequently removed the ability to summon creatures by throwing Pokéball-style Pal Spheres but despite this, Pocketpair has released a game on Nintendo Switch, and is considering bringing Palworld to Nintendo Switch 2.

submitted by /u/Double_Tumbleweed414 [link] [comments]

“A Minecraft Movie” isn’t just a hit — after three weekends in theaters, the film is estimated to have grossed $344 million domestically and $720 million worldwide. That makes it the biggest movie of an admittedly underwhelming year at the box office (so far), and the second biggest video game movie of all time. Coming two years after the massive success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($1.36 billion worldwide), and amidst the continued popularity of “Sonic the Hedgehog” films, it’s probably safe to say Hollywood’s video game adaptation curse has been broken.  In fact, one anonymous studio executive told the Financial Times that video games have “replaced comic books as the next frontier of IP to be explored.” And just as superhero movies generally became more faithful to their source material during the era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this executive said that the key to a successful video game movie is “fan service” — i.e., staying true to “the characters and the milieu of the game and the attention to detail.” It also seems noteworthy that the biggest game-to-movie success stories have been kid-friendly titles like “Minecraft” (adapted from the Mojang Studios sandbox game first released in 2011) and “Super Mario,” while the most successful game adaptations for adults — namely, “Fallout” and “The Last of Us” — were made for streaming and TV. “A Minecraft Movie” also benefited from some viral luck, after TikTok videos inspired young fans to scream, jump around, throw popcorn, and more, during a key scene when actor Jack Black yells the immortal words, “Chicken jockey!” Apparently, some theater owners are ambivalent about the #GentleMinions-like trend, but the filmmakers have embraced it, with director Jared Hess telling Entertainment Weekly that it’s “weird when you’re having too much fun and the cops get called.” And it’s certainly turned the act of seeing “A Minecraft Movie” in theaters into a real event. The film was actually unseated from the top of the box office charts this weekend, with a surprise victory for the original horror film “Sinners.” But “Minecraft” still made an estimated $41.3 million domestically in its third weekend, suggesting that those box office totals are going to keep going up. And yes, it sounds like Warner Bros. (the studio that released both “Minecraft” and “Sinners”) is thinking about a sequel, with President of Development and Production Jesse Erman telling the FT, “The fans want more, so hopefully we’ll be able to figure something out.”

While the Soviets sent man's best friend into space, the French had other plans. Meet Félicette, the feline astronaut history forgot.

Table of Contents Table of Contents What is happening? Let them opt out, if they can Imagine a tech giant telling you that it wants your Instagram and Facebook posts to train its AI models. And that too, without any incentive. You could, however, opt out of it, as per the company. But as you proceed with the official tools to back out and prevent AI from gobbling your social content, they simply don’t work.  That’s what users of Facebook and Instagram are now reporting. Nate Hake, publisher and founding chief of Travel Lemming, shared that he got an email from Meta about using his social media content for AI training. However, the link to the opt-out form provided by Meta doesn’t work. Recommended Videos But that’s not the worst part. Meta recently assured that it will honor the choice of users who don’t want their data to be used for AI training. Hake claims that Meta won’t take any action on his request. Instead, he got a reply saying the company “ cannot take further action” on his wish.  Meta In 2018, back when Meta went by the name Facebook, the company revealed that it was training AI algorithms using the millions of pictures shared on Instagram. The eponymous Meta AI and the Llama AI models didn’t exist at that point in time. But it was already a bad omen for things to come.  Fast forward to 2025, and we have a social media giant that is betting it all on AI, which is notoriously hungry for power and more training data. Users of Meta platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, are now finding out that their data is being fed to an AI, and the region-locked opt-out tool is simply not working.  Meta has been training on content shared by users for years, but given the slippery slope of copyright laws and user privacy, the company faced a lot of regulatory pressure. Finally, in June last year, the company said it would pause plans to train its AI system on the social data of users residing in the EU region.  Less than a year later, however, the company revealed that it will start collecting user content such as photos, videos, comments, and chats with Meta AI from users living in the EU and the UK. Meta reasoned that this is a standard modus operandi that it has been following for years across the world.  “We’re following the example set by others including Google and OpenAI, both of which have already used data from European users to train their AI models,” the company said in an official blog post.  Midway through April this year, Meta said it would start telling users in the EU bloc and the UK about its AI training policy change. The company noted that it would inform users via an in-app notification and nudge them via an official email.  “These notifications will also include a link to a form where people can object to their data being used in this way at any time,” the company said. Meta assured the objection form would be easy to locate for Instagram and Facebook users and would provide all the necessary information in simple language.  According to Hake, the opt-out link provided by Meta is not working. Multiple users responding to his post also mentioned a similar situation, lambasting Meta for its shady conduct. It isn’t clear whether the non-responsive opt-out form is a glitch, or otherwise.  Hake, however, points out the sheer disregard for user choice and the apparent U-turn by the company. Meta promised just over a week ago that it would “honor all objection forms we have already received, as well as newly submitted ones.” As per Hake, when he reached out to Meta with the request and the opt-out form issue, the company executive replied that they wouldn’t take any further action regarding his request. Meta claims that it takes pride in its transparent approach towards using social content for AI training, but it seems that the company isn’t keeping an eye on whether it is executing those commitments fairly. Editors’ Recommendations Clinical test says AI can offer therapy as good as a certified expert

Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, left, has expressed confidence in Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images 2025-04-20T19:48:37Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Jerome Powell has drawn the ire of Trump over the Fed's economic outlook. Trump blasted Powell over interest rates and said the chair's "termination cannot come fast enough." However, Sen. John Kennedy told NBC he doesn't think Powell is going anywhere. President Donald Trump has amped up his attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in recent days.On Thursday, Trump said he was "not happy" with Powell. On Friday, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Trump's team would "study" whether the president could remove Powell. Later that day, Trump criticized Powell for not lowering interest rates.However, on Sunday, Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that he doesn't believe that Powell is going anywhere."I don't think the president, any president, has the right to remove the Federal Reserve chairman," Kennedy said."I think the Federal Reserve ought to be independent," Kennedy continued, remarking that both Trump and Powell should "sit down and have a hug and a cup of hot cocoa and work it out."Powell has previously said he wouldn't resign as chair if Trump asked him.Kennedy, a Trump ally, offered support for Powell."My experience with Jay Powell is that he's got tiger blood," he told NBC. "He's going to do what he thinks is right, and he's not going to go down in history as the Federal Reserve chairman that allowed inflation to become wild as a March hare, and he's going to do what he thinks he's got to do."Last Wednesday, Powell said during a Chicago speech that Trump's tariffs were "significantly larger than anticipated" and could lead to higher inflation and an economic slowdown.Powell then said that, for now, the Federal Reserve would wait to see how Trump's economic policies unfold before making any changes to interest rates."For the time being, we are well-positioned to wait for greater clarity before considering any adjustments to our policy stance," he said.In 2011, Powell was nominated by then-President Barack Obama to join the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors. Powell became the board's chairman in 2018 after Trump nominated him for the role. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden renominated Powell as chair, with the Senate approving the nomination in 2022.Powell's current term runs until May 2026.Trump's campaign against Powell comes during a time of high uncertainty for the US economy.The president's tariff strategy — he has gone back-and-forth on tariffs for longtime allies like Canada and Mexico and announced and then delayed elevated "reciprocal tariffs" on nations worldwide — has received bipartisan pushback.Trump has long said the tariffs will allow the United States to cut into its persistent trade deficit. And he has repeatedly highlighted his belief that tariffs will spark an American manufacturing renaissance.In recent weeks, volatility in the stock and bond markets has rattled many Americans. US adults are increasingly unhappy with Trump's economic policies. The economy was a key advantage for Trump during the 2024 presidential race. Recommended video

30 years after its last issue, the Marvel Swimsuit Issue has returned to show you what Marvel’s good-looking heroes do on their off time.

Altar Casa Arca / TANATSave this picture!© Diego Rivero Borrell y Daniel Pereira Architects: TANAT Area Area of this architecture project Area:  8072 ft² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2025 Photographs Photographs:Diego Rivero Borrell y Daniel Pereira Lead Architects: Diego Rivero Borrell, Daniel Pereira, Ombeline de Laage, Juan Pablo Rangel, Ana Paulina Navarrete More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. In the heart of San Miguel de Allende, Altar Casa Arca emerges as a space shaped by both its climate and surroundings. Designed to blend into the city’s historic fabric, it frames strategic views of the Parroquia and other 18th- and 19th-century domes, establishing a direct connection with the urban landscape.Save this picture!Save this picture!Defined by clear skies, sporadic rains, and shifting light, the region’s desert climate sets the tone for the project. Shaded pathways and open-air circulation guide the experience, while assembled steel structures introduce a rhythmic interplay of form and function. Their modular composition allows for a light, permeable framework, supporting a system of retractable textiles that filter sunlight and enhance passive cooling. The use of steel in its natural state gives the structure a sense of both lightness and strength, creating a dynamic relationship between solid and open spaces.Save this picture!Save this picture!Materials play a crucial role in shaping the atmosphere. Terrazzo floors and lime and tadelakt walls, crafted by Rodrigo Bear (acabados naturales), bring a tactile richness to the space, allowing surfaces to subtly reflect the changing light throughout the day. These elements create an ambiance of permanence and comfort, while the balance of smooth and textured finishes enhances the sensory experience.Save this picture!Save this picture!Spaces unfold through a sequence of shifting shadows, airy structures, and layered textiles, inviting stillness and contemplation. The landscape, designed by OCD (Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo) with Nadyeli Quiroz, embraces the region’s endemic flora—agaves, cacti, yuccas, and plumerias—woven among local stone and gravel. The vegetation is not merely decorative but an integral part of the project, reinforcing its relationship with the surrounding ecosystem and enhancing its sense of place.Save this picture!Throughout the space, furnishings and décor by Taller Luum celebrate Mexican craftsmanship, featuring handmade wooden furniture, handwoven textiles, and copper lighting. These elements not only bring warmth and material richness but also establish a dialogue between traditional artistry and contemporary design. Thoughtfully selected textures and finishes highlight the interplay between natural materials and artisanal techniques, reinforcing the project’s connection to local heritage.Save this picture!More than a structure, Altar Casa Arca is an evolving dialogue between architecture and place. Shadows shift, materials breathe, and spaces remain open to their surroundings, creating a refuge that is both rooted and adaptable, where landscape and built form exist in continuous conversation. By integrating natural light, climate-responsive design, and locally sourced materials, the project offers an experience that is immersive, tactile, and deeply connected to its environment.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, MexicoLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeTANATOffice••• MaterialsMaterials and TagsPublished on April 20, 2025Cite: "Altar Casa Arca / TANAT" [Altar Casa Arca / TANAT] 20 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1029114/altar-casa-arca-tanat&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Arrimus Ultimate 3D Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/arrimus3d/?referralCode=446E0E08AE1808A2938A Practical Sci-Fi Design: https://arrimus3d.gumroad.com/l/scifidesign OR https://www.udemy.com/course/practical-sci-fi-design/?referralCode=90114E112DAE1B47430A Redesign and Remake: https://www.udemy.com/course/redesign/?referralCode=470F0A962EACE810C94C Plasticity Modeling Guide: https://www.udemy.com/course/plasticity-modeling-guide-by-arrimus-3d/?referralCode=85C41A46EAE3EF8725DF Ultimate Sci-Fi Soldier: https://www.udemy.com/course/ultimate-sci-fi-soldier/?referralCode=440AD5E0F74E48EAEFB2 Gumroad ► https://gumroad.com/arrimus3d Patreon ► http://www.patreon.com/Arrimus3D. Artstation ► https://www.artstation.com/arrimus3d Business ► 3dtut@protonmail.com Giving me a thumbs up and subscribing and clicking the bell shows you find my videos helpful. If you want to support me check out my Patreon visible in the last 20 seconds of the video. Thanks. Ending Music: Bensound

Hey folks! In this video, I’ll walk you through my complete workflow for setting up and rendering with Path Tracing in Unreal Engine 5.5, and then show you how to clean up your render like a pro using DaVinci Resolve’s powerful denoising tools. We’ll cover everything from optimizing render settings, tweaking Path Tracer parameters, to converting color spaces and applying noise reduction—step by step. Whether you're chasing cinematic realism or just want cleaner renders from your UE5 projects, this video has you covered. What’s Inside: Switching to Path Tracing Mode in UE5 Ideal settings for Max Bounces, Samples Per Pixel, and more How to render EXR sequences with Movie Render Queue Why we disable Tone Mapping Curve How to denoise EXRs in DaVinci Resolve using the Color Space Transform node and Noise Reduction 🧰 Scene Used in This Video: https://www.fab.com/listings/88dd113a-865c-4d61-bc15-49754b22fa04 Coming Soon: Full deep-dive on Color Space workflows in Unreal and DaVinci! If you enjoy content like this, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and drop your questions in the comments. I’m always happy to help! 🎥 Subscribe for more tutorials on Unreal Engine, rendering workflows, and cinematic techniques! https://www.youtube.com/@civareducation